I attended a small church in Charleston one weekend about a year ago with a friend. During the sermon (which spoke something of unity) the man who spoke referred to the tomb that was found supposedly containing Christ’s bones. He said that his response to the question of the finding’s validity was “who knows, and what does it matter?” I thought to myself I know. And our eternity hinges on it. It matters, very, very much. If Christ were not raised from the dead, he was a mere man—your faith is absolutely useless and we are to be pitied more than all men (1 Corinthians 15:12-19). What you believe about Christ, has direct impact on your life and your walk with the Lord. There are some aspects of our faith that are non-negotiable, black and white, and should stand unapologetically so.

Christ is the Son of God, equal to God and to the Holy Spirit in power and glory, one part of the Trinity. He was from the beginning (implied in Genesis 1:26 with the use of “us”, stated in John 1:1). The gospels record multiple accounts of His claim to be the Son of God (Luke 9:20-22, Matthew 26:63-64). Historians hold that Jesus was crucified by the Romans. He rose again on the 3rd day, and was later seen by over 500 different witnesses recorded by 5 different authors (John 20:19-22, Luke 24, 1 Corinthians 15:6). Christ was a man, very few would argue against this point no matter what religious holdings one has.

He was also God. This is clearly demonstrated throughout scripture. And while it is very popular and almost “politically correct” to pick and choose what one believes throughout the Bible, I would caution anyone who does so and bases their eternal salvation on their fruit basket of beliefs.

Not all roads lead to Rome. Sincerity of belief matters nothing, if what you place your faith in is wrong—I could sincerely believe that a termite-infested wooden chair could hold my weight. And to even prove the authenticity of my belief, I could place my faith in that chair—I could sit in it. It would still collapse. My amount of belief matters not, if the object of my faith is unreliable. Christ clearly stated in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” A relationship with God apart from Christ is impossible. Was He being arrogant in making this claim? Was Christ making salvation that much more difficult for us? OR is this too a demonstration of His love for us? Could it be that Christ is the only safe chair to rest in, the only reliable object to put one’s full faith in? Did he know that all others would collapse in the end?

If so, the question then to answer is—why is it so difficult for one to place faith in Christ and accept a free gift of salvation? Are we that prideful, that we would not humble ourselves before Him and see how truly desperate we are without him? Do we want God on our terms rather than coming to God on His terms? This certainly is our culture’s desire. A relationship with God based on anything other than Christ’s sacrifice is not a relationship at all—one is either placing hope in a false god or in mere works, both of which will fall short in light of a righteous God.

I remind you of these truths because these are some lies that people I’ve known, brothers and sisters in Christ, have chosen to believe, or have accepted as truth, or at the very least deemed unimportant issues to wrestle with. It is absolutely key that one understand what they believe, especially concerning Christ, the validity of the Bible, and salvation. Christ’s claim is clear and unapologetic. He is the way, not one way. John emphasizes this as well in 1st John 5:1-12 “…we accept man’s testimony, but God’s testimony is greater…Anyone who does not believe God has made Him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about His Son…”

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are inseparable within the scriptures. You must either accept them, all of the scriptures, or reject them, but you cannot pick and choose and hope that what you come up with works well in the end, God is clear on this point. Call me intolerant, but I know why I believe what I believe—more importantly, I know Who I believe, and feel that He is the only reliable object to put my trust in.

Questions

  • What according to our culture, are some unpopular Christian beliefs? Why are they unpopular? What is the heart issue?
  • How has this affected your personal beliefs about God and the Bible? Your walk with the Lord? Your desire to witness?

Prayer
Father, thank you for making the way to you, your plan of salvation, clear. Thank you for the great sacrifice that you gave—the pain that you suffered, that we might know you. Father, may we never take this for granted. May we never cheapen your gift. Forgive us for the times that we have chosen harmony over truth, for the times we’ve given in to our culture’s pressures. Help us to love with your love—help us to love others in truth. Father, may we be grounded in who You are and in what we believe, and may we take this to those we love who don’t know you. Give us boldness and eloquence. Give us a great love that drives us, not fear or anger. May we know you and in Your power and love, make you known.

I suggest reading Mere Christianity, by C.S. Lewis, for more on this topic.